Bully Payback (Taking Revenge on Her Bully Book 1)

by Lia Ellison

“Probably, but it’s possible he prefers this one or he might not want me to see all of his cars if I turn out to be a threat. And he has to park it somewhere, so I’d like to know where. Maybe I can figure out where he’s hiding.”

  “And what are you going to do if you find him?” Nia cocked her head. “I expect he has security. Have you seen anyone watching him yesterday?”

  “I don’t think he has bodyguards, or at least they weren’t nearby.” I hadn’t seen anyone suspicious yesterday or anyone who might’ve looked as if they were keeping an eye on him. If I’d wanted to stab him, I could’ve done it a billion times.

  Maybe I should have, but I didn’t want to end up in prison because of him. If I wanted to take him down, I’d have to find a legal way to do it. Or at least, I’d have to make sure I didn’t get caught.

  “Or they’re so good you haven’t even spotted them. They might be with him all the time. He’s the leader of the Scarlet Cobras. He’s not just anyone. It would be risky for him to walk around unprotected. And it’s a risk for you to be around him too.”

  “I know, but I don’t think anyone’s gunning for him right now, or he wouldn’t be going to parties and clubs where just about anyone can get to him.”

  “If you say so.”

  Something beeped.

  “What’s that?” I asked, straightening my shoulders.

  “I think I’ve got something,” Nia said. “My friends will be very happy to hear their recognition system is working just fine. More than fine, actually.”

  “Tell me everything. Oh, and do you still have any of those trackers that you talked about? I might need some of those.”

  “And there I thought you hadn’t been listening when I was talking about that.”

  “You never know.” I grinned.

  Chapter 11

  I KEPT MY HEAD LOW as I made my way down the dark street. My hoodie was offering me just enough protection, and if Ryker spotted me or if his men caught me, I was hoping I’d be able to come up with some good excuse, like I’d been going for a jog or something equally innocent.

  Nia had managed to track down Ryker’s car through traffic camera footage, and it seemed like the car ended up in this area very often, but since there weren’t any cameras around here, I had to check it out on my own and figure out where it was parked.

  This wasn’t a particularly dangerous neighborhood, but I still had to be very careful. Not just because of Ryker, but because of other criminals too. I had a small knife and pepper spray with me too, and I hoped I wouldn’t need to use them.

  Slowing down, I peeked down the alley to my right. No cars there. Just a whole lot of trash and a stray cat. I kept going, glancing around me.

  Most of the buildings here were apartment buildings, so I had no clue if Ryker was living somewhere here or if he was running his operations from one of the apartments.

  As I passed by a few more streets, I spotted his car parked in one of the alleys. I went closer, inspecting every corner for cameras or anything suspicious. When I was sure no one was watching me, I slipped my hand into my pocket and pulled out a tracker that Nia had given me.

  I crouched, pretending that I was tying my shoelaces, and then planted the tracker just under the car. If Ryker’s men found it, I didn’t think anyone would assume I’d put it there. They’d probably think it was their competition or the cops.

  I rose to my feet and strolled deeper into the alley. The buildings here didn’t seem particularly interesting. There was light in some of the windows while the others were dark. No one was taking a peek through any of them, as far as I could tell.

  But Ryker must’ve parked here for a reason. Just as I was about to reach the end of the alley, I spotted a man standing in front of the entrance of the building across the street in front of me.

  Pulling back into the shadows, I eyed him carefully. He pulled out a packet of cigarettes and lit one while trying to appear casual. But I was sure he was on the lookout for something or someone.

  There was a bulge under his jacket, so I assumed he was armed. I waited a few more minutes, and then another man walked up to him. They didn’t say anything, just nodded at each other. The other guy was armed too, and he went past him and entered inside.

  My pulse sped up. Was that it? Was this where Ryker’s men were hiding? Maybe the whole apartment building belonged to them, and it didn’t appear suspicious enough to draw the attention of the cops or the neighbors.

  Could it be the Scarlet Cobras’ stash house or was this just the place where they were staying? I glanced up the building, but there was no way for me to tell if one of the apartments could be Ryker’s or if he might be here.

  Maybe I should just call the cops and have them raid the place. But would that do me any good or would it only make the Scarlet Cobras more cautious? Then they’d know someone wanted to mess with their business, and I was sure they’d find a way to get out of here quickly enough, before the cops came.

  I didn’t think Ryker would get caught, even if he was inside right now. He was always able to escape, no matter how dire the situation seemed. Hell, maybe he’d been selling those drugs that he had planted in my locker, and since his spy or a crooked cop had tipped him off, he’d found the quickest solution to his problem.

  I had no doubt that he’d find his way out of here too. Some of his guys might fall, but he wouldn’t go down with them. I was sure of it. No, I had to be patient. I had to let Ryker think everything was fine and that no one was threatening his business here.

  Catching his men in the act would never be good enough. It had to be him, or, at least, I had to have irrefutable proof that he was behind it all. Something big enough that not even his cops would be able to help him, although maybe, since this was a new city for him, he didn’t have so many cops in his pocket like back at home.

  The Scarlet Cobras had established themselves in our hometown decades ago, so it wasn’t a surprise that they owned the whole town by now. But this was a new territory for them, so they had to be careful.

  I didn’t move from my hiding spot. Maybe a truck full of drugs would show up or maybe something else would happen, but no matter how much I waited, the only person out there was that same guy who was watching the street.

  No one else stopped by either, and there was no sign of Ryker anywhere. I chewed on the inside of my cheek. Of course, I couldn’t expect that something would happen tonight, right when I was here.

  I’d have to stop by more often. Or maybe this building wasn’t it. Maybe it was just one of the Scarlet Cobras’ lodgings, and even if the cops raided it right now and searched every inch of it, they wouldn’t find anything overly important, except maybe a few shady guys with guns.

  When I was sure the guy wasn’t looking in my direction, I slipped back in the direction I’d come from, away from the street and the building. As I passed by Ryker’s car, I hoped that at least the tracker would lead me somewhere.

  Sure, Ryker might discover it before I got the chance to figure out where he was going, but maybe I’d get lucky. I still wasn’t entirely sure what my plan was, but I intended to follow the tracker and figure out where Ryker moved and who he met with.

  Maybe one of his associates would be his downfall. That guy Ryker had threatened at the cocktail party wasn’t too happy to work with him, so if I could find more people who were willing to stand up to Ryker or help me expose him, then maybe we could bring him down together.

  But then again, I didn’t think I could trust any of those people Ryker worked with. If they’d gotten entangled with him, then they’d probably betray me to save themselves. Besides, I was just a sex club owner.

  I didn’t have a gang or anyone to fight for me if the Scarlet Cobras decided to attack. No, I’d have to do it on my own. Get all the evidence and hand it over to the right people.

  And then Ryker would pay for everything he’d done, not just to me but to everyone else.

  Chapter 12

  THE TRACKER SEEMED to be worki
ng, but I still checked the app and the map on my phone twice to make sure that I wouldn’t be walking straight into a trap. Ryker’s car was moving toward the area with a lot of clubs and restaurants, so even if Ryker or his men spotted me, they shouldn’t be overly suspicious to find me there.

  But where was Ryker going? If it was really him in that car? The red dot on the map was moving in circles, though, so I hid in the dark part of the parking lot of one restaurant, under one of the trees, and waited to see when Ryker’s car would come to a stop.

  Maybe Ryker had found the tracker after all and had put it on something or someone else, or his men were trying to lure me out, without knowing whether they were dealing with an enemy or a cop. I had no intention of going anywhere if it proved to be too risky, like walking straight into a dark alley away from everyone.

  My pulse sped up when the dot started moving in my direction. What the hell? I actually tapped the screen of my phone, as if that would somehow unstuck the app or change the dot’s movement.

  Ryker was coming here, wasn’t he? I held my breath, looking around to make sure no one was watching me, but I couldn’t see anyone. But then the dot went past me, and through the bushes, I could see Ryker’s car as it cruised forward.

  Where was he going? Making sure I was still hidden behind the bushes, I rushed after him. It looked like he was pulling over in front of the door of an expensive-looking restaurant.

  I raced across the street, keeping my head down, and then pressed myself close to the wall of one of the nearby buildings. From the shadows, I had the direct view of the restaurant’s entrance.

  The stink of piss and trash made me gag, but if I wanted to see where Ryker would go, I needed to stay here. I lifted my phone just as he got out of the car. He glanced around, and I ducked farther into the shadows so he wouldn’t spot me.

  A few moments later, I peeked out again. Another car pulled over, and a man opened the door for a dark-haired woman in an elegant dress. Ryker started toward her with a smile on his face, and I furrowed my brow.

  Who the hell was she and why was she smiling back at him? He took her hand then, and I couldn’t see what he was doing because his or hers bodyguards got in the way.

  What if Ryker actually had a girlfriend? She was so damn pretty. I aimed my phone toward them and snapped a few photos, biting on my lip. Even if he had a girlfriend, what did it matter to me? He could date whoever he wanted.

  It wasn’t like there was anything between him and me for me to feel betrayed that he was seeing someone else. Hell, our deal was supposed to be strictly professional anyway, even if I came to accept his offer. My plan to seduce him had only just begun, so I couldn’t expect immediate results, despite Ryker being sexually attracted to me.

  But why hadn’t he invited this woman to that cocktail party? She did look like someone who’d have fit in better. Or maybe she was his secret girlfriend and no one was supposed to know about it. Maybe I was just a cover.

  Hell, what if she was the daughter of some powerful crime boss and Ryker was trying to form an alliance?

  What does it matter, Lexi?

  As they went inside, I turned away from the restaurant and dialed Nia’s number. Maybe I should’ve called Ryker instead and see if he’d care enough to answer.

  Stupid, Lexi, stupid. Focus on what matters.

  “Nia, hey,” I said as soon as she answered. “I need you to do me a favor. If I send you a photo of someone, can you find out who she is?”

  “Yeah, send it over. But will you at least tell me why I’m doing it?”

  “She’s with Ryker right now. They’re having dinner together or something.” I bet he’d never take me to such a fancy restaurant.

  Oh, for the love of everything, Lexi. You shouldn’t even care.

  “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were jealous.” Nia let out a laugh.

  “I’m sending you the photo right now.” I lowered my phone so I could upload the photo. A few moments later, I got confirmation that Nia had received it.

  “Do you think he’s on a date?” I asked, unable to stay quiet as I could hear typing noise coming from the other end of the line.

  “Only if he likes dangerous women,” Nia said.

  I tilted my head. “I guess he does. Wait, why are you saying that?”

  “The woman is Colombian. We’re talking cartel here. Of course, the cops don’t have any evidence she’s related, but she’d the wife of a certain kingpin. Everyone suspects she’s making deals in his name because it’s too risky for him to go anywhere.”

  “Oh.” So she definitely wasn’t dating Ryker. That was a relief.

  Really, Lexi? That’s the piece of info you focused on here?

  “I’d say Ryker is having a business meeting,” Nia said.

  “Yeah, looks like it.” I glanced back at the restaurant, but the guards were still there. “The photos of them meeting don’t prove anything, do they?”

  “Nope.”

  But if Ryker was planning on making a deal with a Colombian cartel, then their drug shipments would have to come here eventually. I’d have to figure out where Ryker was storing the drug. Maybe he’d visit that place to give orders to his men.

  Even if he didn’t show up there, his men might be wearing the Scarlet Cobras’ jackets. It would be proof that they were definitely involved in the drug business, but I wasn’t sure how I could get my hands on a video of them transporting the drug.

  And if I did all that, I’d still have to figure out how to prove once and for all that Ryker was the Cobras’ leader.

  “Lexi, are you still there?” Nia asked.

  “Yeah.”

  “These people Ryker is meeting with are more dangerous than him and the Cobras. I know you want to take down Ryker, but don’t get in their way. You don’t want to catch their attention at all. If they think you are snooping around or spying on them, they’ll kill you.”

  “Don’t worry. I’m not going to try to place a tracker on their car too or something.” Not that doing that was possible when the guards were watching it at all times.

  “Okay, because even if you do it somehow, I’m going to kill its connection.”

  “I said I wouldn’t do it.”

  “And I heard you, but you’re still you.”

  “Thanks, Nia, but I gotta go now.”

  “Call me when you get home so I don’t think the Colombians got you.”

  “I will.” I ended the call, and then I waited.

  About two hours later, Ryker and the woman walked out, and they exchanged a few words I couldn’t hear before going for their cars. I didn’t move until they were gone.

  Why the hell was I so relieved that Ryker had gone off in a different direction from her? There was no reason for him to hook up with that woman, especially when doing that could cost him his life.

  I brought up the tracking app on my phone. The dot stopped only a few minutes later, and as I was trying to figure out where exactly Ryker was, it disappeared. My heart skipped a beat.

  He’d found it, hadn’t he? He’d found the tracker.

  Would he think it was the Colombians? Was that why he’d been checking? Maybe I’d just blown up his deal, or maybe not.

  I just hoped Nia was as good as I believed she was so that the tracker couldn’t be traced back to us.

  Chapter 13

  MY PHONE VIBRATED JUST after I finished drinking my morning coffee. Ryker’s number flashed on the screen, and I waited a few moments before answering.

  “I know what you were doing,” he said, and my heart stopped.

  A thousand different thoughts flew through my mind, but I took a deep breath and shoved them all into a dark corner of my mind so I could keep my voice calm and steady. “What are you talking about?”

  If he’d found out I’d planted a tracker on his car, he wouldn’t be calling me, would he? He’d be here on my doorstep with his men. No matter how much I wanted to keep my address a secret, I knew that it would be easy fo
r him to find me if he wanted to.

  “I know why you called me to come with you to that club,” he said, and some of the tension left my shoulders.

  “Oh, you mean, aside from wanting to have some fun?”

  “Yeah. You’re reconsidering my offer, aren’t you? Have I passed your test?” Amusement filled his voice.

  “You got me.” It was easy to lie about that. “To be honest, when you first approached me with your offer, I thought you weren’t serious about it and that you wouldn’t respect the boundaries we agreed to.”

  “Does that mean you’re going to accept?”

  “Yeah, I am, but I want to be super clear on the terms, and I might have a few of my own.”

  If I postponed this any longer, I’d miss my chance. Now was as good time as ever, especially if Ryker had really struck a deal with the Colombians.

  Maybe I could overhear something useful now. I was sure he wouldn’t talk about it openly, but I could put two and two together now that I knew what he was up to, or at least a part of it.

  “Sounds great. Are you doing anything now? If you’re not busy, I can send my driver to pick you up. We can sign the contract today after we make sure that everything is as we want it to be.”

  “Yeah, sure. I’m free now.” If we were about to discuss something as delicate as our contract and sign it, I was sure it had to be somewhere private.

  Would it be Ryker’s apartment or some other place? Had he rented a special place just for us or would he really let me into his new home?

  I was about to find out.

  RYKER’S DRIVER DIDN’T say a word to me, but after some seemingly pointless circling around the city, he pulled over in the driveway of a beautiful mansion, which was hidden behind a thick wall fence.

  If I looked really carefully, I could see armed guards strolling around, but they were really good at staying hidden, because I could catch only a glimpse of them here and there.

  A servant opened the door for me, and I got out. The perfectly green garden was full of flowers, sculptures, and even had a small fountain, so I suspected Ryker actually lived here.